In Numbers 30 did the vow of a married woman stand without the knowledge of the husband?

Question

Numbers 30 describes the law of the vows which are taken by both married and unmarried woman.The law describes how a father or husband are able to nullify a vow taken by either a daughter or wife.There is one aspect of this law which is not mentioned, a vow taken by a married woman without the husband's knowledge.

Numbers 30:13 NASB

13 “Every vow and every binding oath to humble herself, her husband may confirm it or her husband may annul it. 14 But if her husband indeed says nothing to her from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or all her obligations which are on her; he has confirmed them, because he said nothing to her on the day he heard them. 15 But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt.”

What happened to the vow taken by a married woman without the knowledge of the husband.

Did such a vow stand?

Answer 1

“Also, if a woman makes a vow to the Lord, and binds herself by an obligation in her father’s house in her youth, and her father hears her vow and her obligation by which she has bound herself, and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows shall stand and every obligation by which she has bound herself shall stand. But, if her father should forbid her on the day he hears of it, none of her vows or her obligations by which she has bound herself shall stand; and the Lord will forgive her because her father had forbidden her.”

Age seems to be a factor here. She is old enough to be called a woman but one who is still regarded to be in her youth. Clearly, she is of sufficient age for her vow to be give serious consideration because if her father allows it, her vow remains binding. Verse six tells us that she is of sufficient age to marry. The woman’s vow is considered binding unless her father overrules it. Later, if she married while still under the vow, this vow then became subject to the approval of her husband.

If a married woman made a vow, the only way the vow could be overturned was by her husband, and then only if he became aware of the vow. If the husband never became aware of the vow, then the woman must fulfill her vow.